Spartans on the Move
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EmailInspired by the Fall 2025 Spartan Bus Tour
On the Road with the Spartan Bus Tour: Gregory Bonito, President Kevin Guskiewicz and Plant Soil Microbial Sciences Chair Sydney Everhart (from left to right).
I recently had the pleasure and privilege to join the Fall 2025 Spartan Bus Tour to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.) with President Guskiewicz and other dignitaries. Lisa Tiemann had spoken favorably about her previous Spartan Bus Tour experience, and I have been conducting research on the legacy of copper mining in the Keweenaw peninsula, so I applied for the opportunity to see more of the state through a Spartan lens. As I summarize below, I was inspired by the trip and recommend others to consider joining future Spartan Bus tours.
The Bus included 54 others from across disciplines and rank and departed early October 19, 2025 for a 3-day road trip to experience firsthand the ongoing impact of MSU across the state. Each day included 4-5 stops including agricultural research centers, hospitals, community centers (and more) revealing how deeply MSU activities impact the land, water and communities of Michigan.
Among the dignitaries on the tour were MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz, Provost Laura Lee McIntyre, and many Deans and Chairs including Dean Daum of CANR and PSMs chair Sydney Everhardt. Their participation underscored the university’s ongoing commitment to connecting with Michigan communities, promoting the strength of MSU partnerships statewide, and supporting innovation in food, agriculture, natural resource management and rural development.
One highlight of the trip was the visit to Mammoth Distillery where the group learned about the rebirthing a century old rye industry enabled through research efforts of PSM’s own Eric Olson, who helped restore a historic Rosen rye cultivar, which is once again being grown on National Park Service land and historic sites on South Manitou Island.
Another highlight was the visit to the MSU Forestry Innovation Center in Escanaba. Director Jessie Randall and his team presented innovative research on maple and their microbiome and shared explorations into new maple sap beverage and medicine opportunities. They showed and shared stories of sustainable forestry and innovation, emphasizing how local forests can meet human needs without compromising ecological integrity. Their innovations are helping to spur economic development and opportunities in the surrounding communities.
MSU’s Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center in Chatham was also very inspiring. We learned about ongoing research assessing impacts of grass fed and finished beef on human nutrition, and experienced public preference approaches through a blind taste test demo. We also learned about new breeding successes in corn (for masa) and barley (for beer), ongoing mycotoxin and soil health research, as well as successes working with local school districts and students integrating local organic foods into school diets.
Throughout the journey, the themes of connection, impact, and community re-emerged. From expansive forests to Great Lakes, I reflected on the wealth of natural resources across Michigan, and the compassion and strong work ethic of its people. MSU’s footprint across the state is impressive and inspiring, and a reminder of our interdependence and shared legacy.
Perhaps most important were the connections formed among participants themselves. The autumn forest colors offered a fitting backdrop for the diversity and unity within the Spartan bus, and seeds of collaboration being sewn. Drawing on his own small-town roots, Coach Tom Izzo reminded the group in Iron Mountain where he grew up that our community and its educators shape who we become. As educators, we are privileged to be able to impact individuals in such profound ways. The 2025 Spartan Bus Tour was a powerful demonstration that Michigan State’s mission, impact and legacy extend throughout the landscapes, waters, and communities of Michigan. Written by Gregory Bonito
